JasperPOV.
The shrill sound of the phone ringing jarred me from my thoughts, I'd been thinking of that fateful morning in Port Angeles five days ago, god was it already five days, Edward had shared a room with me and we'd spent much of the night talking, we discussed a bit of everything, his family, the mission, the Swan girl, even what we thought me might do when it came to walk or re-up in 6 months. Edward wanted out, he'd done his time, and he was hoping to settle down, he wanted to meet someone, get married do the whole shebang, kids, dog, picket fence. I sighed, I guess that wasn't meant to be.
"Lieutenant Whitlock speaking"
"Jasper?" the voice on the other end responded.
"Yep, who's asking?"
"This is Phil Dwyer, we've had a break in Port Angeles, Port Angeles Fire and PD responded to a small fire at a warehouse yesterday in downtown Port Angeles, near the docks, they found a sealed bunker in the basement, it was fitted out with all sorts of scientific equipment, and chemical paraphernalia similar to that found in the wreckage of the ship."
"Ok, and that helps us how?" I replied dubiously.
"That's not all they found, the place was covered in prints, but they also found what appears to be a cell, and it was covered in blood. We've had the tests done, the blood matches Swan. Right now we don't know if she's alive or what, but this is a good lead, I have guys on the ground checking every nook and cranny and we have a team here scanning data like nobodies business, I spoken with General Garrett and he agrees, I know your team is on leave, but I want your guys to turn their pagers on, be ready to go at the drop of a hat."
I scratched my head, it was a little overwhelming, to think that we'd lost Edward just days ago, and now they were suddenly picking up things on the missing analyst. Something stank about this latest development, I'm not sure what it was, but something was off, the evidence or whatever it was, was too clean, too precise, too... planted.
"Hey Phil, how did the fire start?"
"Huh? Oh a ugh small incendiary device, possibly a cast off from the cell that had been there?"
"No, I don't think so, it's a plant, they're covering tracks, laying false trails, the reason anything was found, is because they wanted it found." I replied.
"Have your team look at that guy that was bought in before all this kicked off, ummm damn what's his name...?" I shuffled through the numerous bits of paper Edward had assembled, " Laurant, that sucker knows something, we need him to talk, there's something more going on and I think Swan and possibly Edward had figured it out."
Phil mumbled his agreement and assured me he would get some of his best guys to have a chat with this Laurant guy, he hung up shortly after exchanging a few pleasantries. I settled back into my chair, running my hands through my hair, a habit I'd picked up from spending way too much time with Edward, that guy could stress and brood like a pro. Glancing at the clock on my desk, I decided to forgo writing up any more reports and grabbed my cell and headed out to my car. A short drive later I found myself standing outside our crew room, I'd not been back in here since we'd returned from Port Angeles five days ago, the thought of going in there and not finding Edward kicking back made my stomach roll. Sucking it up, I climbed out of the car and strolled up to the door, pushing down the handle and watched as the door swung open, the air inside the room was dead and lifeless, stale from being re-circulated by the air con. The room itself was a warren of lockers and benches, with small corridors heading off to the sides. I walked over to my locker, no one had emptied Edwards, doing that made things too real, we knew it couldn't stay like it, but right now we needed it to. Command had said they would be sending a replacement in a few days, we'd had new guys before, but never in these circumstances, the poor guy was doomed to be hated for that purpose, I just hoped he had the nerve to take the bad feelings that would surely come.
I opened my locker, eyeing the contents with a speculative eye, various types of fatigues hung from the hook inside, boots lines up at the bottom, my pager sat on the top shelf, I'd left it there the last time I'd been here, the day we left to head to Port Angeles, I pulled it out and switched it on, now to tell the other guys that while leave wasn't cancelled, they were back on standby, the proverbial lead balloon was about to go down. Flipping my cell phone open I hit 2 to call Emmett, best to get this over first, if anyone would object it would be him. He answered on the first ring.
"Jasperdoodle, what's hanging?!"
"Jasperdoodle? seriously Em," I chuckled.
"What?!" he chuckled back at me.
"Look man, I'm down at the crew room, I've had the CIA guy on the horn, he's had Garrett stick us back on standby..." Emmett interrupted my rushed explanation...
"Well shit, isn't it enough that cock eyed Mother fucker got Edward killed, what's he up to now, trying to finish the rest of us off too?"
"Calm down Em, look meet me here in 10 and we'll call the rest of the guys and figure something out, we're still on leave, they just want us to have our pagers on." I tried to sound calm, but placating him was so much easier face to face.
"Fine, I'll be there in 10." and then he hung up.
It was closer to 20 minutes later that I heard Emmetts big ass hummer squeal into the parking lot outside, I steeled myself for the big guys entry, I was sure it wouldn't be pretty, I only hoped he wouldn't wreck too much. I wasn't however expecting him to stroll in looking tired and broken, the events of the past few days had taken a toll on him, I guess not even my sister could bring him out of the hell of having to break Carlisle and Esme like he did.
"Em, you look like shit bro" it's true he did, dark shadows under his eyes, five days of stubble on his chin, hell had he been to bed at all.
"Yeah, well I guess that's what happens when you have to sell your soul and destroy the lives of the people you respect the most," he responded despondently.
"Em, it's not your fault, we all knew what we could be facing, hell how many times has Edward told us that this next one could be it for us, but Bro it didn't stop him or us going in anyway. It's what we do."
"That's bullshit and you know it, I don't want to hear no more of those pansy ass platitudes, dude, Edward is dead, I failed to get him out and I destroyed his mom and dad." Emmett groaned out.
He slumped onto the bench next to me, his head fixed firmly in his hands, the muscles on his arms rippling with the tension in his body, looking at him then, I knew I wouldn't ask him to turn his pager on, the guy was a wreck, and he needed to sort his head out before this broke him beyond repair. He needed to talk to someone, but I knew without a doubt he wouldn't talk to a shrink, not without being put on medical.
"Em, go home, get some sleep, I'll deal with this ok, you're in no state to be on standby, I'll think of something to cover for you. Just get some sleep," I said quietly.
He didn't say another word, just nodded at me, shrugged his shoulder and stood up from the bench, his shoulders hunched, his posture mimicking his state of mind, broken. He gave me one last glassy eyed look before he nodded and walked out the door and jumped into his Hummer. Well shit, that wasn't good. I flipped open my cell and dialled Rose, she needed to get home and take care of him.
"Rose, its Jasper,"
"Jas," she sobbed, "I don't know what to do, Ems, god, Ems so cut up about Edward, I've never seen him look so bad, never, I feel so helpless,"
My heart broke, my sister was one of the strongest, hell she was probably the bitchiest, toughest women I knew, but seeing Emmett hit rock bottom was breaking her.
"Rosie, I've sent him home, we were put back on standby, I've told him to stand down and stay on leave, I'll make something up to cover him, he's not fit for any of this shit right now, he needs sleep, he needs to talk, Rosie, I want you to go home do whatever it takes to make him sleep, even if you have to drug his big ass, I can call Carlisle if you need him, maybe he'll get through where we can't."
"Thanks Jas, I'm leaving now, I was heading home anyway, I had some news this morning, but I don't know how I can tell him while he's like this." she sobbed.
"Are you ok Rosie? You'll tell me if there's something wrong!"
"Jas...god I've got shitty timing...Jasper, I'm pregnant."
"Wow...I wasn't expecting that, well shit that's... ugh, great? Ugh I mean of course that's great, wow, I'm going to be an uncle. Hey Rose, don't worry about anything, I'll call Ali and get her and Carlisle to meet you at home, wow a baby, Rose he's going to be stoked you know, he's always wanted a family,"
"Really? so you don't think he's going to be upset, what with everything else going on, I'm frightened, I can't do this alone Jasper." She sighed.
"You'll not be alone sis, none of us are going anywhere," I replied.
"Love you bro," she smiled down the phone, a little excitement bubbling out of her voice.
"Love you sis," I replied, "You take care of Em and my niece or nephew ok, and I'll see you real soon."
We both hung up at the same time, and I settled down to call the rest of the guys, none of them were pleased at the new development, but it came with the job, we were all still essentially on leave, but now that we had been put back on standby, it sort of restricted how far off we could travel and how much we could drink, and we really needed to drink.
I climbed back in my car and headed across the base to my office, there was something in that intel I was sure of it. I glared at the stack of files and folders on the desk, there has to be something here, Edward had scanned through them for hours and come up with the ship, maybe there was something else, and the Swan girl, surely they would've checked her computer, she's bound to have intel coming out of the hoo ha. I settled down to scan through the files in hope that I could uncover something, I needed to get to the bottom of this. I scratched my head in frustration, how the hell could anyone not go nuts spending hours doing this shit and I'd only been at it for...20 minutes, we're screwed.
I stood from my desk and paced around the room, I flipped open my phone and dialled Ali, she picked up on the 3rd ring.
"Jasper."
"Ali, have you heard from Rose? Can you and Carlisle head to hers, Emmetts having a hard time what with everything that's gone on, and Rose is at her wits end, he may need a little something to help him sleep."
"Ok Jas, love you."
"Love you too baby, I'll be home soon."
I shut my phone and continued to pace the room, wondering how I was going to get to the bottom of this. I sat back at my desk and glared at the files sitting there in front of me, I wouldn't get anything done tonight, I couldn't concentrate for shit, so packed them into my bag and headed out to my car, maybe something will come to me tomorrow.
The drive home was short and Ali hadn't arrived yet, I dropped my bag in the closet, kicked off my shoes and grabbed a soda from the fridge, before sitting in front of the tv and putting on the game. Relax, that's what I needed to do.
*~*~*~*~*
It had been absolute chaos for a few short minutes, if we hadn't burst onto the bridge when we did, the customs guys would be dead by now, Sam and I stayed on the bridge to secure the area, while the rest of the team headed out to the holds to thoroughly search the ship. We'd cleared the deck, had 2 dead and 2 prisoners, plus the 5 customs guys that we needed to get off the ship incase there was any trouble. I nodded to Sam and we prepared to move out.
"Eagle 1, this is no2, can you confirm a clear path to the dock, 9 to move."
"No2, this is Eagle 1, the path is clear, I repeat the path is clear."
"Thanks Eagle 1, we'll call in when we reach cover."
I signalled Sam and took point taking a steady pace off the bridge, we eventually made it down on to the docks, the 2 prisoners were hurried into the customs vehicle while Sam and I took up defensive positions and waited for the rest of the team to join us. We'd barely gotten settled when Edward called over the radio, words I don't think I've ever heard him say in all the years I've served alongside him.
"All teams, retreat, I repeat, retreat, fall back, get the fuck out of here." Edward called over my radio.
"What gives Chief?" Emmett called back
"Binary Liquid, Chemical Bomb, surrounded by car parts, it's a fucking over grown IED, now get the fuck off this ship,"
There was silence for a few short seconds, then Edward came back on the line.
"Eagle 1, Eagle 2, I need you guys to look around, possible bogey in your vicinity, look high." he called
"This is Eagle 1, I have possible eyeball on the bogey, they're on the communications pylon to the east."
"Take the shot Eagle 1 and don't you fucking miss, this bomb is remote," he replied.
"Chief, this is Eagle 2, I have eyeball on another bogey on a pylon to the west, shit, Chief you might want to run"
Then the one sound I really didn't want to hear, my eyes went wide as I glanced at Sam, who was looking at me with equal shock as the huge explosion rocked through the ship.
*~*~*~*
I woke with a start, my breathing laboured and sweat pouring down my face, bloody hell I don't want to live through that again, I must've fallen asleep on the couch, I didn't remember the game ending and I certainly didn't turn the tv off... Ali, she must be home.
"Jas, Jas" Ali was beside me, touching my arm in a comforting manner, she looked so worried.
"Ali, I'm fine, just a bad dream, that's all. I'm fine babe."
She still looked worried, I smiled lazily at her hoping to ease her mind, but Ali was a worrier.
"Do you want to talk about it Jas? you know you can tell me anything."
"I'm fine baby, really, I just think I've been over doing it and with what happened to Edward I guess it was my subconscious telling me to relax, that's all."
She eyed me, not really believing me and not really wanting to push either.
"Lets just go to bed baby, it's been a long ass day and I just want to forget everything and curl up with my beautiful wife."
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